The end of Benjamin Netanyahu’s premiership cannot come soon enough

Editorial: The prime minister has endangered the lives of his own citizens through an aggressive programme of territorial expansion. His failure should be celebrated

Netanyahu looks on after speaking to supporters at his Likud party headquarters following the announcement of exit polls yesterday (Reuters)

Pushing 70, the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has dominated the political life of his country for much of the past two decades – for good or ill. To put things into a British context, it is as if Tony Blair was still running Britain, give or take a few absences, and with no great electoral mandate. Indeed, so diminished is Mr Netanyahu’s popular support in these legislative elections that it may just be possible his long reign is drawing to a close.

At any rate, it can hardly be said to be an endorsement for Mr Netanyahu to win about 32 seats in the 120-member Knesset, and to be, more or less, in a draw with his nearest rival Benny Gantz’s Blue and White Party. Even if these two front runners created a “grand coalition” to deliver some much needed stability into Israel’s parliament, they would hardly command a majority. The system of almost perfect proportional representation has endowed Israel with a colourful kaleidoscope of smaller parties, and one of the most variegated political scenes on the planet. Every sect, faction and splinter group is able to enjoy a national voice, but it is hard to argue that it has served the state of Israel well on the central issue of peace, impressive though some of its economic achievements have undoubtedly been.

The Knesset still makes the House of Commons (when it is allowed to sit) look like a cradle of strong government and democratic stability. Still, Mr Gantz is making some brave noises about constructing a “national unity” government, comprising his own movement and a variety of smaller left-wing groups, and possibly with the tacit support of Israeli Arab parties. Although the liberal and pluralistic credentials of the Blue and White Party can be overstated – it remains opposed to the Palestinian right of return and supports Jerusalem as the undivided national capital – a Gantz premiership would at least mark a fresh start for Israel. It would turn the page on the alleged corruption of the Netanyahu era, and all that went with it. It could conceivably mean an end to the expansionism practised by Netanyahu’s Likud governments, and a better deal for the Palestinian and Israeli Arabs. Importantly, it would mean a fresh pair of hands at the negotiating table as President Trump finalises his Middle East peace plan.